The present invention relates generally to apparatuses for testing energy absorption and return devices and, more particularly, to embodiments of an apparatus for testing a design of a spring member to be incorporated into a vehicle suspension system.
Analytical methods and systems are known for designing and testing spring members incorporated into suspension systems in vehicles. During operation of a vehicle, leaf springs coupled to an axle in a vehicle suspension system are subjected to both torsional loading due to axle wind-up and vertical loading due to the weight of the vehicle. Both of these modes may contribute to operational failure of the spring. However, many analytical methods and testing systems account for only the vertical load component of the total force acting on the spring member.